THE PUNJAB DISTURBED AREAS ACT, 1983 
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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS 

1.  Short title, extent and commencement. 
2.  Definition. 
3.  Powers to declare areas to be disturbed areas. 
4.  Power to fire upon persons contravening certain orders. 
5.  Powers to destroy arms dump, fortified positions, etc. 
6.  Protection of persons acting under sections 4 and 5. 
7.  Repeal and saving. 

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THE PUNJAB DISTURBED AREAS ACT, 1983 

ACT NO. 32 OF 1983 

An  Act  to  make  better  provision  for  the  suppression  of  disorder  and  for  the  restoration  and 

maintenance of public order in disturbed areas in Punjab. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called The Punjab Disturbed Areas 

[8th December, 1983.] 

Act, 1983. 

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab. 

(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 7th day of October, 1983. 

2. Definition.—In this Act, “disturbed area” means an area which is for the time being declared by 

notification under section 3 to be a disturbed area. 

3. Powers to declare areas to be disturbed areas.—The State Government may, by notification in 
the Official Gazette, declare that the whole or any part of any district of Punjab as may be specified in the 
notification, is a disturbed area. 

4. Power to fire upon persons contravening certain orders.—Any Magistrate or Police Officer not 
below the rank of Sub-Inspector or Havildar in case of the Armed Branch of the Police may, if he is of 
opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning, as 
he may consider necessary, fire upon, or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any 
person who is acting in contravention of any law or order for the time being in force in the disturbed area, 
prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons or the carrying of weapons or of things capable of being 
used as weapons or of fire-arms, ammunition or explosive substances. 

5. Powers  to  destroy  arms  dump, fortified  positions,  etc.—Any  Magistrate  or  Police  Officer  not 
below the rank of a Sub-Inspector may, if he is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do, destroy any 
arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter from which armed attacks arc made or are likely to be 
made or are attempted to be made or any structure used as training camp for armed volunteers or utilized 
as a hide-out by armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence. 

6.  Protection  of  persons  acting  under  sections  4  and  5.—No  suit,  prosecution  or  other  legal 
proceedings shall be instituted except with the previous sanction of the1[Central Government] against any 
person  in  respect  of  anything  done  or  purporting  to  be  done  in  exercise  of  the  powers  conferred  by 
sections 4 and 5. 

7.  Repeal  and  saving.—(1)  The  Punjab  Disturbed  Areas  Ordinance,  1983  (5  of  1983),  is  hereby 

repealed. 

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the said Ordinance shall be 

deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act. 

1. Subs. by President Act 2 of 1989, s. 2, for “State Government” (w.e.f. 3-4-1989). 

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